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Bulletproof Monk

Paul Hunter(2002)

99min

12 Certificate

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Review

Our Score

by Alan Jones

This martial arts fantasy produced by John Woo is based on a late 1990s cult comic book, and turns out to be a messy mix of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix and Lost Horizon. The plot concerns an ancient life-prolonging Tibetan scroll that's protected by nameless monk Chow Yun-Fat (and, after an unlikely plot twist, his petty-pickpocket disciple Seann William Scott) and coveted by former Nazi officer Karl Roden. Combining daft fortune-cookie philosophy, overdone stunts and fluffed fight-choreography, music-video director Paul Hunter's cheesy fusion resembles a pilot episode for some badly acted mid-1970s clone of Kung Fu. Without even the slightest hint of knowing camp to save it, this comic-strip misadventure soon collapses.

Summary

A mysterious Tibetan monk is entrusted with protecting an ancient and mystical scroll. As modern-day Nazis seek out the relic in a bid to resurrect the Third Reich, the monk searches for a suitable successor to take over his task - and a pickpocket is the unlikely choice. Martial arts thriller, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, Jaime King, Victoria Smurfit and Karel Roden.